[p. 192.] Goats were the first small Cattle they had in the Countrey, he was counted no body that had not a Trip or Flock of Goats: a hee-Goat gelt at Michaelmas and turn’d out to feed will be fat in a moneths time, & is as good meat as a weather. I was taught by a Barbary Negro a medicine which before I proceed any further I will impart unto you, and that was for a swelling under the throat. Take Goats hair and clay and boil them in fair water to a poultis, and apply it very warm.
Sheep now they have good store, these and Goats bring forth two, sometimes three Lambs and Kids at a time.
Hoggs are here innumerable, every planter hath a Heard, when they feed upon shell-fish and the like, as they do that are kept near the Sea and by the fishers stages, they tast fishie and rank; but fed with white Oak-Acorns, or Indian-Corn and Pease there is not better Pork in the whole world: besides they sometimes have the Meazels, which is known when their hinder legs are shorter than ordinary.
Catts and Dogs are as common as in England, but our Dogs in time degenerate; yet they have gallant Dogs both for fowl & wild Beasts all over the Countrey: the Indians store themselves with them, being much [p. 193.] better for their turns, than their breed of wild dogs, which are (as I conceive) like to the Tasso-canes or mountain dogs in Italy.
Of English Poultry too there is good store, they have commonly three broods in a year; the hens by that time they are three years old have spurs like the Cock, but not altogether so big, but as long, they use to crow often, which is so rare a thing in other Countries, that they have a proverb Gallina recinit a Hen crowes. And in England it is accounted ominous; therefore our Farmers wives as soon as they hear a Hen crow wring off her neck, and so they serve their spur’d Hens, because they should not break their Eggs with their spurs when they sit. In the year 1637. which was when I went my first Voyage to New-England a good woman brought aboard with her a lusty Cock and Hen that had horns like spurs growing out on each side of their Combs, but she spoiled the breed, killing of them at Sea, to feed upon, for she loved a fresh bit.
In Anno 1647/8. Certain Indians coming to our house clad in Deere-skin coats, desired leave to lodge all night in our kitchin, it being a very rainie season, some of them lay down in the middle of the Room, and others under the Table, in the morning they [p. 194.] went away before any of the people were up; the poultry had their breakfast usually in cold weather in the kitchin, and because they should not hinder the passing of the people too and again, it was thrown under the Table; in the afternoon they began to hang the wing, in the night the sickest dropt dead from the perch, and the next day most of them dyed; we could not of a sudden ghess at the cause, but thought the Indians had either bewitched, or poysoned them: it came at last into my head, seeing their Crops very full, or rather much swell’d, to open them, where I found as much Deers hair as Corn, they that pickt up none of the hair lived and did well.
In the year 1667. October the 7th amongst our poultry we had one white game Cock of the French kind, a bird of high price, when he was three years old he drooped and his spirit was quite gone; one of our Negro maids finding him in the yard dead brought him into the house and acquainted me with it. I caused her to draw him, when his guts were all drawn out she put in her hand again and felt a lump in his body as big as a half-peny loaf, strongly fastned to his back, and much ado she had to pull it out; I found it to be a tuff bag, containing stuff like liver, and very heavie, at one end [p. 195.] of the bag, another little bag filled with a fatty matter, his gizard, liver, and heart wasted. The Pipe or Roupe is a common disease amongst their poultry infecting one another with it. I conceive it cometh of a cold moisture of the brain, they will be very sleepie with it, the best cure for it is Garlick, and smoaking of them with dryed Hysope.
In September following my Arrivage in the Massachusets about the twelfth hour of the eight day, I shipt my self and goods in a Bark bound to the East-ward, meeting as we sailed out the Dutch Governour of New-Netherlands, who was received and entertained at Boston by the Governour and Magistrates with great solemnity. About nine of the clock at night we came to Salem and lay aboard all night.